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I suspect Dave Hester will come out on top. Is there any part of his complaint that comes as a surprise to anyone that has watched more than a few episodes? I remember an episode where a production tag was clearly visible when the locker was supposedly opened for the first time (it was gone in the next camera shot).

I still watch and enjoy the show for it's entertainment value - after all, isn't most TV just fiction?

...of course this whole firing Dave Hester and his lawsuit against the show could very well be more about publicity than anything else.

+1......It amazes me how many people think these types of shows are real.

I'll second that.. My dad is a reality show junky and it disappoints me how such an intelligent man can believe any of them are real. At least I have comfort in knowing that he does know a show like "Hardcore Pawn" is fake..

I'd seen before that it was faked, along with American Pickers, Pawn Stars etc.

American Restoration? Not sure about this one. Maybe pre negotiating the price etc, but the part I like, them actually restoring the item is real. Just wish they showed that more, not the stuff between the crew.

I think Deadliest Catch and Flying Wild Alaska (when it was on) was at least mainly real, other than hamming for the camera and such.

I don't think Roadshow is salted. Look at what happened to the watermelon sword people. There were a lot of people that showed up for them when they came here. No way they didn't get a lot of interesting items legitimately.

I like watching the show and I do believe a small portion is real, but for ever locker to have something totally awesome? Nah. Of course it's fake. Heck, I bet their contracts even tell them as much meaning that its unlikely Dave is going to win this. They are actors in a reality show. What's on air simply isn't what happens in real life. Without the help of the producers the show wood be boring and off air and the part implants know this. Yuuuuup!!!

American Restoration? Not sure about this one. Maybe pre negotiating the price etc, but the part I like, them actually restoring the item is real. Just wish they showed that more, not the stuff between the crew.

I think Deadliest Catch and Flying Wild Alaska (when it was on) was at least mainly real, other than hamming for the camera and such.

I don't think Roadshow is salted.

They're all faked one way or another, even if it's just scripting and editing. What you see is not how the scene really played out.

Even one of the most 'real' out there, The First 48, is heavily edited. And I don't mean just for time. You can tell they edit for drama, sound effects added and in many cases speak direct to the camera. You even see it sometimes on COPS and some of the others.

I guess 'fake' is sort of a generic term, but when COPS first aired, there was very little altered.

Today's 'reality' shows are just plain fake through and through. Paid actors is about it as far as describing the participants. Survivor, Bachelor, Great Race; ALL of them are faked to some extent.

I like watching the show and I do believe a small portion is real,

Maybe the location. And I'm not sure some of those aren't sets.

What I don't get is why some of these shows aren't treated as the game shows they are and subject to the same rules and regulations as game shows.

As for "small portion" I'll only assume that you and I aren't even remotely thinking about the same thing ... I'm talking about personalities, Jared and Brandy's interaction with each other, the Sheets jokes, etc. etc.

I don't believe the show is scripted, but I do believe the show is set up ... It's a bunch of guys ad-libbing their way throw a show that has been given a general direction by the producers (including planting cool stuff in pre-picked lockers). It's not even clear to me whether there is real bidding going on the day of show taping because shot setup, etc. will take a big chunk of the time. But I'm certain that only one of the shows stars is allowed to win the pre-picked lockers. How would it look if joe six pack came in off the street and took one of the really cool lockers - the producers would be out of a locker and have nothing to show for it.

It's 30 minutes of escapism TV and if anyone thinks "reality tv" is real just doesn't get it.

I'm sure Dave knows that it's not real. Sounds like he's in a contract dispute with the producers ... Heck, even this event is probably a stunt to attract more viewers to the Show ... We'll probably see Dave back within the next two weeks after they've "made up."

It's not even clear to me whether there is real bidding going on the day of show taping because shot setup, etc. will take a big chunk of the time. But I'm certain that only one of the shows stars is allowed to win the pre-picked lockers. How would it look if joe six pack came in off the street and took one of the really cool lockers - the producers would be out of a locker and have nothing to show for it.

Can you say Spin-Off Series?

They may seed the locker after the bidding. These really valuable things are in the back, hidden away.

They also might seed all of the lockers a bit. Really, what's a $3,000 guitar worth in the big scheme of things in a network series? If they have to spend $10,000 seeding all the lockers a bit, that's chump change when it comes to producing a television show. They'll spend that much on the craft truck feeding the cast and crew to produce a half an hour of television.

They're all faked one way or another, even if it's just scripting and editing. What you see is not how the scene really played out.

Even one of the most 'real' out there, The First 48, is heavily edited. And I don't mean just for time. You can tell they edit for drama, sound effects added and in many cases speak direct to the camera. You even see it sometimes on COPS and some of the others.

I guess 'fake' is sort of a generic term, but when COPS first aired, there was very little altered.

Today's 'reality' shows are just plain fake through and through. Paid actors is about it as far as describing the participants. Survivor, Bachelor, Great Race; ALL of them are faked to some extent.

Maybe the location. And I'm not sure some of those aren't sets.

What I don't get is why some of these shows aren't treated as the game shows they are and subject to the same rules and regulations as game shows.

Ok, I get the editing. They do tend to create "characters", or make things more dramatic. I've noticed in a few shows, like on Pawn Stars, before the break you'll see the expert say something like there's a potential issue with the item, but after the break, there's no doubt and he's positive it's legit.

I can see why they don't have the same rules as game shows, in that case you have actual contestants, and you can't have it rigged in such a way that one person is guaranteed to win. I truly believe that the contestants on Jeopardy! are real people, not actors. It just takes quite a lot to get to that point. I had trouble with the online test...